The Nebraska Biocontainment Unit Philip Smith, MD Medical Director, NBU (NBU) is a secured area with a highly Angela Hewlett, MD trained staff of medical and nursing Associate Medical Director, NBU personnel who safely provide all levels Ted Cieslak, MD of care to patients infected with deadly Associate Medical Director, NBU infectious diseases. Shelly Schwedhelm, MSN, RN, NEA-BC Executive Director, NBU Emergency Preparedness & Infection Prevention
Kate Boulter, RN, BAN (HONS) Nurse Manager, NBU
UNIT FUNCTIONS AND Chris Kratochvil, MD Associate Vice Chancellor for CAPABILITIES Clinical Research, UNMC Vice President for Research, Nebraska Medicine Features include: Angie Vasa, BSN, RN, CCRN • Isolation rooms maintain negative air flow Lead Staff Nurse, NBU with 15 or more air exchanges per hour John Lowe, PhD • High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) air Director of Research, NBU filtration system • Secured access, double door, pressure Elizabeth Beam, RN, PhD Education Director, NBU controlled main entrance NEBRASKA • Separate staff entrance and exit TO BE DETERMINED Chief Medical Officer, Nebraska Department BIOCONTAINMENT UNIT • Staff decontamination shower of Health and Human Services • Dual “pass-through” autoclaves for Director, Division of Public Health Nebraska Medicine decontamination of waste, linens and CONTACT US: materials leaving the unit University of Nebraska Medical Center [email protected] Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services • Secure telehealth communication system
• Close proximity to the Nebraska Public Nebraska Biocontainment Unit Health Laboratory (NPHL) BSL III Lab plus 982470 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198-2470 satellite BSL III Lab within the NBU MWR 9590 • Patient transport isolation unit allows for safe transport The threat of global infectious diseases is very real. Nebraska is prepared.
NATIONAL AND REGIONAL RECOGNITION
THE NEBRASKA BIOCONTAINMENT The biocontainment unit houses patients for patients with hazardous diseases, the unit has UNIT WAS ONE OF THREE UNITS with hazardous infectious diseases in an active research and outreach training programs for SELECTED TO CARE FOR UNITED environment that maximizes the safety for staff the region and nation. STATES CITIZENS WITH EBOLA VIRUS and the community at large. A full spectrum of DISEASE MEDICALLY EVACUATED care is provided for patients of all ages – from Unit personnel consists of an extraordinary staff of quarantine to intensive care treatment. The select physicians, nurses, technicians and respiratory FROM AFRICA. unit is designed for highly infectious diseases, therapists specially trained in high level isolation and National Ebola Training and Education (Ebola virus, smallpox, and respiratory diseases bio-preparedness. Most work full-time in other areas Center (NETEC) such as avian influenza) whether acquired in of Nebraska Medicine but remain on call to report UNMC | Nebraska Medicine, in collaboration with a laboratory accident, as a naturally occurring promptly for duty when the unit is activated. Emory University in Atlanta and Bellevue Hospital infection, or in a bioterrorist attack. in New York City, were awarded a joint contract The NBU was one of three units in the United States by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to establish and co-lead the nation’s The Nebraska Biocontainment Unit (NBU) was selected in the fall of 2014 to receive U.S. citizens National Ebola Training and Education Center. dedicated in 2005 and drilled for nine years to prepare with Ebola virus disease medically evacuated from for activation. The NBU is a collaborative project Africa. The outstanding staff has received numerous U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) involving Nebraska Medicine, University of Nebraska awards for its courageous and extraordinary level of Region 7 Treatment Center for Ebola Medical Center and the Nebraska Department of care including recognition from the White House, the and Other Highly Infectious Diseases Health and Human Services. It is one of only a few Nebraska Legislature, and the University Of Nebraska The NBU was selected as one of 10 health departments and associated partner hospitals biocontainment units in the United States and is the Board Of Regents. In addition, they were honored as to become special regional treatment centers largest, with up to a 10-bed capacity depending on the “Midlanders of the Year” by the Omaha World Herald. for patients with Ebola or other severe, highly specific infection. In addition to providing medical care infectious diseases.